while browsing the web i came across this its a bit pricy but if you have a generator it could provide enough water for a small family to survive a disaster.
http://www.ecoloblue.com/en/home-office
its basically a dehumidifier with a filter. it pulls water out of the air filters it and deposits it in a 3 gallon tank. it can produce up to 5 gallons a day wich is more than enough for a small family to survive comfortably.

Looks like a complete non starter I'm afraid.

The specification states that the EcoloBlue 28 Atmospheric Water Generator will produce 5-7 gallons of water in the first 24 hrs. How much power does this thing use? According to the operational manual 480W continously. Or a total of about 12 KWhrs per day.

Here are the specifications for Honda EU20i i.e. 2000 W generator set.

http://hondagenerator.co.uk/pages/HondaEU20i.htm

At 1/4 load i.e 500W the Generator will run for 10 hrs and use 4.1 litres of fuel or just greater than about 1 US gallon.

So to produce 5-7 gallons of water you will need to burn over 2.5 gallons of petroleum. It would be cheaper and safer just to store the water for an emergency situation.

And the manufacturers have the nerve to put the prefix eco in the products name.

true i didnt realize it used that much power, but it is an interesting concept

I'd just go with a Berkey.

Imagine not having to pay for bottles or even pay for tap water !


Going Green!!!

Procuring dirty water and cleaning it seems like a much better course of action. Through distillation you can produce absolutely pure water, so having the parts to build a still seems like a vise option. Basically anything can be used as heat source for a still, including the sun. Or, if the water's not too shady you can just boil it....

EDIT: Spelling. Still is not spelled sill...

I would agree that the article linked to is of limited use and verging on a con-trick.
Similar, or perhaps the same, devices have been promoted here in the UK.

Might possibly be worth considering in damp and a humid regions, if you need a dehumidifier anyway, why not get one that produces potable water ?

For general use though it would be much better to store both drinking water and the means to procure and purify water.

Sill? Do you mean still?

Yes, thank you. Post edited.

In a damp/humid/wet area, rainfall, fog and dew would be the easiest to collect, and usually wouldn't require cleansing.

Sue